THQ Axes a Hundred as it Fixates on Smart Phones (Kotaku 31/1/09)

THQ fired 100 employees following a decision to shift its mobile game development to the smart phone platform only. Three studios are closing, in San Diego, the U.K. and Germany.

VentureBeat's Dean Takahashi reported the development yesterday. Previously THQ had made games for all kinds of phones. Now they're focusing only on smart phones — iPhones, Blackberry, Symbian, Android phones, etc. "Given today’s market environment, we believe our focus on the high-end handheld market is critical to strengthening our market position and achieving profitability," said THQ chief Brian Farrell.

Takahashi notes that THQ already fired 250 people last year in a bid to save more than $100 million and recover from a disappointing 2008. In the company's second fiscal quarter, THQ reported $164.8 million in revenue, down from $229.3 million in the same quarter of 2007. Its loss also ballooned from $7 million in '07 to $115.3 million last year. The company still has 2,000 employees.

damn, will hv 2 make do wif homemade games

xD